1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin dispensing apparatus that contains coins or tokens in bulk in a hopper and dispenses the coins one at a time from inside the hopper as necessary.
2. Background of the Prior Art
An example of a conventional coin dispensing apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 51-119295 which was filed by the applicant of the present application.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, this conventional coin dispensing apparatus comprises a substrate 2 which arranged at a position inside hopper 1, and is inclined towards horizontal. A coin transporting rotary disc 4 is provided in the form of a rotary disc which is supported rotatably by drive shaft 3 and is spaced in opposition to substrate 2 with a clearance slightly larger than the thickness of coins (not shown). A cylindrical case 5 in the form of an enclosure wall extends towards coin transporting rotary disc 4 from substrate 2 and surrounds coin transporting rotary disc 4, and outlet slot 6 being formed in cylindrical case 5. Four guide apertures 7 are equally and circumferentially spaced in coin transporting rotary disc 4 that guide coins on substrate 2. Each aperture 7 has transporting arms 8 that are mounted on the substrate side of the coin transporting rotary disc 4 and extend along the radial direction to a hypothetical circle that passes through the centers of guide apertures 7 having the center of coin transporting rotary disc 4 as its axis and slide coins in the direction of rotation of coin transporting rotary disc 4 (direction indicated by the arrow in the drawings). A regulating pin 9 is retractably arranged on substrate 2 at a position facing outlet slot 6 that changes the direction of coins dispensed by transporting arms 8 towards outlet slot 6 to dispense coins from outlet slot 6. Finally, reference numeral 12 indicates a drive motor that rotates drive shaft 3.
However, in the conventional coin dispensing apparatus described above, transporting arms 8 slide coins only in the direction of rotation of coin transporting rotary disc 4 on substrate 2, and regulating pin 9 dispenses coins from outlet slot 6 by changing the direction of coins dispensed by transporting arms 8 towards outlet slot 6. As a result, since coins, the direction of which has been changed by regulating pin 9, leave a course on which they can be pushed by transporting arms 8, the coins in front are not dispensed from outlet slot 6 unless they are pushed by other succeeding coins.
Namely, in the conventional coin dispensing apparatus, when there is only one coin remaining in the apparatus to be dispensed, since there are no other succeeding coins behind it, that last coin cannot be dispensed outside the apparatus.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, in a coin dispensing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 61-281385 also filed by the applicant of the present application, scraper 11 is provided that rotates in synchronization with coin transporting disc 4. Scraper 11 has guide apertures 7 and an equal number of radial transporting blades 10. The ends of transporting blades 10 protrude through an opening continuous with outlet slot 6 and between substrate 2 and coin transporting disc 4. The transporting blades 10 scrape the coins in concert with transporting arms 8 and regulating pin 9 in dispensing the coins. As a result, transporting blades 10 of scraper 11 were able to scrape out even the last coin left in the apparatus.
However, since the conventional coin dispensing apparatus as described above requires a scraper, there are disadvantages. Specifically, the number of parts is increased and the overall size of the device is forced to be larger, thus having the additional shortcoming of being contrary to the need for downsizing.